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Now that the booing from the tifosi has finally stopped ringing out around Monza, it's time to look back on a crucial couple of races for the 2018 Formula One Championship. It's the return of the (now slightly modified) adjusted driver rankings.

Rather than the previous race-by-race basis, from now until the end of the season we are publishing our rankings on a rolling basis, over a larger sample size, to find out who is in the best form on the grid. This edition deals with the Belgian and Italian grands prix.

Lewis Hamilton certainly came out of this period better than Sebastian Vettel, extending his championship lead by six points despite Ferrari being the quicker team. There were plenty of other consistent performers down the field, too. Both Force India drivers for example. And there was a double points finish for Williams in Monza. Imagine that. Will that be enough to bump them up the rankings?

The system, explained

The adjusted rankings system is supposed to be something other than the usual ratings out of 10, where 90 per cent of the grid score between six and nine and nobody ever scores below three.

The system uses a model that incorporates several aspects of a car and driver's performance. It takes into account their finishing position (points are awarded for the first 15 finishers), the number of places gained in the race (a point for each) and a handicap each driver is given according to their machinery.

How is that handicap worked out? All cars are given a percentage rating relative to the quickest lap of the weekend. So, for example, if a car's quickest lap was 103.230 per cent of the quickest overall lap of the weekend then both drivers for that team get 32 performance points. This score is a combination of this rating and where their car ranks on raw pace.

So 101.000 equals 10 points, 102.000 equals 20 and so on. The drivers of the car that sets the fastest lap of the weekend (100.000 per cent) score no points. Further handicap points are awarded as to where each team ranks, so the quickest team get a point and the slowest team get 10.

Points are then awarded for what happens in the race and ranked by adjusted points. This aims to level the field somewhat and give a more representative ranking to assess which drivers got the most out of their cars.

20. Daniel Ricciardo - Red Bull

Ricciardo's Italian GP chances go up in smokeCredit:
afp

Red Bull just didn't have the pace at either of these races and it showed. Like a few others, Ricciardo suffered as a result of the first-lap incident in Belgium and then took grid penalties in Monza for an engine change. Not that it made any difference when his power unit gave up to make it two retirements in two.

Total points:0

Adjusted points: 0

19. Fernando Alonso - McLaren

Is making the car do what Vandoorne cannot, simply. And that is go quicker than it should do. His race was unluckily ended by Nico Hulkenberg's huge error on the brakes in Belgium but he did at least manage to get his underperforming McLaren into Q2 in Italy, which is quite something. Retired with an engine issue at Monza to make it two DNFs in two.

Total points: 0

Adjusted points: 0

18. Brendon Hartley - Toro Rosso

Unfortunately Belgium and Italy probably sum up Hartley's first full season in F1. He has had moments of promise - 12th in qualifying at Spa in this period - but has been outshone by his talented team-mate when it matters most. His bad luck continued when he was wiped out after being sandwiched between a Sauber and a McLaren in the opening seconds of the Italian GP. Luckless and pointless in this period.

Total points: 0

Adjusted points: 34

17. Nico Hulkenberg - Renault

A poor couple of rounds for Nico HulkenbergCredit:
afp

Initiated the huge first-lap incident in Belgium through an inexplicable error on the brakes, one that a driver of his experience and of his quality should not make. Took a 10 place grid penalty for this for Italy which compromised his race and finished in 13th, despite some midfield fighting throughout the race.

Total points: 0

Adjusted points: 44

16. Romain Grosjean - Haas

After a very difficult start to 2018, the Frenchman is starting to hit form and pick up regular and heavy points. Four points finishes in four and five in six is proof. The car deserves it, yes, but you still have to deliver. Fifth in qualifying became seventh in the race at Spa and he followed it with sixth on the grid and sixth in the race in Italy. Or so it looked until he was disqualified after an appeal by Renault over his car's floor, which is a massive shame for him.

Total points: 6

Adjusted points: 58

15. Charles Leclerc - Sauber

Leclerc has started to make a few small but costly errors. It is his first season in F1, though. Clearly not at fault for his first lap incident in Belgium but a scruffy qualifying left him in 17th when he should have been into Q2. Should have qualified better in Italy too but it was another quiet and pointless race for the Monegasque driver. Better races will come and he still might find himself in a Ferrari next year, despite a downturn in form.

Total points: 0

Adjusted points:64

14. Kimi Raikkonen - Ferrari

A team error cost him a shot at pole at Spa and then a first lap incident in effect ended his race and reduced his advantage over Valtteri Bottas for second in the championship. Finally took his first pole with a superb lap at Monza. Being too harsh on his tyres was the problem at Monza on Sunday and it ultimately meant he wasn't able to take his first win in five years. Another second position was not so bad though. His Belgium DNF gives him a rating this low.

Total points: 18

Adjusted points: 70

13. Kevin Magnussen - Haas

A decent return of four points at Spa but Grosjean has started to find better form in comparison now. A strange incident with Fernando Alonso in Q2 in Italy probably cost him a chance of top 10 on the grid but stewards found that it was a "racing" incident. An odd strategy left him last by miles at Monza and far from his team-mate up the road. As long as he continues to pick up steady points he should be favourite for seventh in the championship with Renault fading a little in recent rounds.

Total points:4

Adjusted points: 78

12. Pierre Gasly - Toro Rosso

Appears to have been buoyed by the news that he'll be driving a Red Bull next season. Ninth in Belgium and ninth in qualifying in Monza. Is now getting the most out of his car but wasn't able to convert his fifth row start into points in Italy. Had a gutsy and tough battle with Daniel Ricciardo, which was fun to watch.

Total points: 2

Adjusted points: 98

11. Marcus Ericsson - Sauber

Not how Marcus Ericsson wanted to spend his Friday afternoonCredit:
getty images

Picked up another points finish in Belgium - his fourth overall and third in five races - and has started to drive at something like his best. A huge incident in second practice in Italy obviously didn't help his weekend and he never really threatened the points from 18th on the grid, but that was going to be very tough after a first lap puncture.

Total points: 1

Adjusted points: 104

10. Stoffel Vandoorne - McLaren

We are currently in the worst period of Vandoorne's career and at a time when he needs to be at his best to prove his worth to his team. His home grand prix could not have been a worse one - qualifying last and finishing 15th and last on the road. 20th on Saturday at Monza meant he had qualified last three times in four races and has not made it out of Q1 since Canada. 12th in the race in Italy represented a fair result but it is unlikely to be enough to convince McLaren to sign him for 2019. Finds himself as high as 11th because McLaren is so far off the pace and carries a high handicap score.

Total points: 0

Adjusted points: 112

9. Sergei Sirotkin - Williams

A good first lap in Belgium saw him run in the points for a fair amount of laps before finishing in 12th. Made it through to Q2 in Italy for the fourth time this season but was bettered by Stroll, who made it into Q3. Finished 11th initially at Monza but was bumped up to 10th for his first career point, which was nice to see after all his hard work.

Total points: 1

Adjusted points: 118

8. Carlos Sainz - Renault

A poor weekend in Belgium where he was eliminated in Q1 and finished out of the points. Drove well to get his Renault through to Q3 and even better to qualify P7 ahead of the Force India of Esteban Ocon and converted this into four points in the race. That's a fair return from a car that was expected to struggle at Monza.

Total points: 4

Adjusted points: 120

7. Lance Stroll - Williams

Lance Stroll ran well in the midfield to pick up another point for WilliamsCredit:
getty images

Lots of talk about whether he deserves a place in F1, whether he should replace Ocon at Force India, the team newly acquired by his father. Of course he shouldn't. A fairly nothing weekend in Belgium was soon forgotten when he put a Williams in Q3 for the first time this season in Monza, the scene of his best ever qualifying. Had decent pace to take his second points finish of the year on Sunday (and in a car eighth quickest on raw pace), which should create some positive press after plenty of bad.

Total points:2

Adjusted points: 120

6. Sebastian Vettel - Ferrari

Sebastian Vettel drove to victory in Belgium but made another costly error in ItalyCredit:
afp

Couldn't match Hamilton's qualifying pace on a drying track in Belgium but had the power to slipstream him at the start of that race to take the lead and then drive to a comfortable but much-needed victory. Didn't manage to string together the perfect lap in Italy which cost him pole more than Raikkonen's slipstream. Another error leading to a clash with Hamilton cost him dearly and he was lucky to finish fourth in the end. 30 points is looking like a big gap with seven races left. Outclassed by Hamilton in Italy.

Total points: 37

Adjusted points: 131

5. Esteban Ocon - Force India

His best ever qualifying came in Belgium, where he very nearly took the lead into Le Combes. Came home in a very good sixth place as talk emerged of him losing his seat to Lance Stroll. Qualified in the top ten again in Italy and took another handful of points for sixth. He's now one of five or six drivers in the battle for seventh in the championship and is probably in the best form of the lot of them, along with Grosjean. Needs and deserves a drive next season.

Total points: 16

Adjusted points: 139

4. Valtteri Bottas - Mercedes

Had an engine change at Belgium and drove well from the back of the field but fourth was probably about par given his car's advantage over the drivers he was fighting. Still, took a five second penalty for smashing into Sirotkin at the start, though. Was miles behind the top three in qualifying in Italy but drove another solid race to take the final podium spot. A good wing man, whatever anyone says. And that will likely be his role for the rest of the season now.

Total points: 27

Adjusted points: 141

3. Sergio Perez - Force India

A second row start in Belgium has been the highlight of qualifying in 2018 for Perez, who has been beaten by his team-mate on Saturdays more often than not. Sundays are a different thing, though, and he reversed the order in the race in Belgium. A marginal but gutting exit in Q1 in Italy didn't hinder him too much as he took seventh place a day later. Not bad in the sixth fastest car on raw pace and from 14th on the grid.

Total points: 16

Adjusted points: 146

2. Max Verstappen - Red Bull

Benefited from the issues of those around him in Belgium but drove an aggressive first lap there to take a fine podium in front of many Dutch fans. Could have probably had a podium in Italy but the collision with Bottas left him with a (totally fair) five second penalty. Petulantly compromised his race in not fighting with Bottas, dropping him behind Vettel in the end. Has now extended the gap between himself and his team-mate to 12 points.

Total points:25

Adjusted points: 150

1. Lewis Hamilton - Mercedes

Lewis Hamilton is in the form of his lifeCredit:
getty images

Took a stunning wet pole in Belgium and drove pretty much as well as he could to second in that race. Was much closer to the Ferraris on Saturday in Italy, certainly much closer than anyone else might have managed. Victory at Monza may well have been his best of the season, perhaps level with Germany. In the form of his life right now and outclassing Vettel on the track when it matters. Despite Ferrari having the quickest package Hamilton is doing everything Vettel is not.